SETTING UP YOUR PRACTICE: Regulatory Information

Various local, state and federal agencies govern the dental profession and issue the licenses and permits practicing dentists need. Whether you’re beginning a practice, relocating or handling day-to-day compliance issues, you’ll need the following contact information.

City Hall
Dentists should contact their local city halls and/or county clerks of the court for information about securing occupational and business licenses before starting their practices.

Florida Board of Dentistry
4052 Bald Cypress Way , BIN# C08
Tallahassee , FL 32399-3258
(850) 245-4474
http://www.doh.state.fl.us/mqa/dentistry/

As part of the Department of Health’s Division of Medical Quality Assurance, the Board of Dentistry consists of seven dentists, two dental hygienists and two public members. It implements the laws and rules that affect the practice of dentistry and issues licenses and permits to practice dentistry. It also issues licenses to provide dental-hygiene services to the public.

Florida Department of Health
4052 Bald Cypress Way , BIN# A00
Tallahassee , FL 32399-1701
(850) 245-4444 • http://www.doh.state.fl.us/

This department administers several state programs:
• Dental treatment or dental-care delivery
• Radiological health services/inspection
• Biomedical-waste disposal regulation
• Children’s medical services
• Infectious-disease control and education
• Health-staff planning and distribution

Medical Waste Disposal
Bureau of Community Environmental Health
Florida Department of Health
4052 Bald Cypress Way , B in #A08
Tallahassee , FL 32399-1710
(850) 245-4277
http://www.doh.state.fl.us/environment/community/index.html

Florida Department of Environmental Protection
2600 Blairstone Road
Tallahassee , FL 32399
(850) 245-8707 • www.dep.state.fl.us
The Florida Department of Health and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection can provide information about state requirements for disposing of dental-office waste.

Florida New Hire Reporting Center
P.O. Box 6500
Tallahassee , FL 32314-6500
https://newhire.state.fl.us/fl-newhire/
Phone: (888) 854-4791/(850) 656-3343
Fax: (888) 854-4762/(850) 656-0528
Federal and state law requires employers to report newly hired employees in Florida to the Florida New Hire Reporting Center. Using this site, you can get information about reporting new hires, report new hires online, and learn about other reporting options.

X-ray Registration
Bureau of Radiation Control
Florida Department of Health
705 Wells Road, Ste. 300
Orange Park , FL 32073
(904) 278-5730
http://www.doh.state.fl.us/environment/radiation/ion1.htm
The Florida Department of Health provides a form to register X-ray machines. Dentists are required to register each X-ray machine in their offices. The department also provides information about state requirements for use of related equipment, such as lab aprons and film badges.

Americans with Disabilities
U.S. Department of Justice
(800) 514-0301 • http://www.ada.gov/
Dentists must comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act when dealing with patients and employees. The American Dental Association also has information about how to design dental offices so they are accessible to patients and/or employees who have disabilities.

Drug Enforcement Administration
Telephone inquiries only: (954) 660-4500
http://www.justice.gov/dea/index.htm
The Drug Enforcement Administration provides the form licensees need to prescribe drugs. It also has information about DEA rules and regulations. The Florida Department of Health can offer more information.

Infection Control and OSHA
North Florida Inquiries: (904) 232-2895
Central Florida Inquiries: (813) 626-1177
South Florida Inquiries: (954) 424-0242
http://www.osha.gov/
The ADA can supply some Occupational Safety and Health Administration information. OSHA has requirements for:
• Infection control
• Employee safety and training
• Waste management and hazardous chemicals

Internal Revenue Service
Telephone inquiries only: (800) 829-4933 • http://www.irs.gov/
The Internal Revenue Service can provide an application for your federal tax identification number. All businesses that have employees must have a federal tax ID number. Other available forms include:
• Circular E Employers Tax Guide
• W-2
• W-4
• 941 quarterly federal tax return
• 8109 tax deposit coupons
• Business start-up kit

Medicaid
Agency for Health Care Administration
2727 Mahan Drive
Tallahassee , FL 32308
(888) 419-3456 • http://www.fdhc.state.fl.us/

Medicaid Provider Enrollment
(800) 289-7799 (Option 4) • http://www.mymedicaid-florida.com/
Dentists who want to enroll in the Florida Medicaid Provider Program should call for applications, agreements, manuals and provider numbers.

National Provider Identifier
https://nppes.cms.hhs.gov/NPPES/Welcome.do
(800) 465-3203 to request a paper application.
An NPI is accepted by all dental plans as a valid provider identifier on electronic dental claims and other standard electronic transactions. Obtaining an NPI doesn’t change the way you prescribe medication. Neither federal nor Florida law requires NPIs on pharmacy transactions, so this regulation doesn’t affect your ability to write prescriptions in Florida.

Required Posters
Federal and state employment laws require dentists to display certain posters and notices in their offices. Dentists may request posters from these agencies or order combined posters from private vendors. Required posters include:

Federal Required Posters
http://www.dol.gov/osbp/sbrefa/poster/matrix.htm
• U.S. Department of Labor
• Federal Minimum Wage
• The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993
• Employee Polygraph Protection Act
National – (888) 972-7332
Fort Lauderdale – (954) 356-6896
Jacksonville – (904) 359-9292
Miami – (305) 598-6607
Orlando – (407) 648-6471
Tallahassee – (850) 942-8341
Tampa – (813) 288-1241
• OSHA Job Safety and Health Protection
Fort Lauderdale – (954) 424-0242
Jacksonville – (904) 232-2895
Tampa – (813) 626-1177
• Equal Opportunity
http://archive.eeoc.gov/posterform.html
(800) 669-3362

State Required Posters
http://www.floridajobs.org/workforce/posters.html
• Florida Minimum Wage Poster
• Florida Law Prohibits Discrimination – (850) 488-7082
• Unemployment Compensation – (850) 488-8422
• Florida’s Child Labor Law – (800) 226-2536
(if employing a minor)
• Florida Workers’ Compensation Law
Contact your workers’ compensation insurance carrier.